Mat



Ju1y'21, 1936. A. T. EKtUND Filed' Feb. 24, 19:54

Frs-4'.

His www Patented July 2l, V1936 one-'half to Wallace C.

Price, Jamestown, N. Y.

' Application February 24v, 1934, Serial No. '112,785

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in mats and more particularly to that class of mats which are fabricated from pre-cut strips of suitable wear resistant material.

Mats of the class to which this invention is related are subjected to constant and hard usage and must therefore be produced from strips of suitable wear resistant material. These strips must be securely boundy or fastened together so that'they will not spread apart or tear loose during use. f

'Ihe preferred embodiment of the invention discloses several modifications of a mat assembled from a plurality of longitudinally extending strips l5 held'together in varied relative position through the use of transversely arranged binders. These strips may be made to abut each other at the location oi the binders, or may be spaced apart by suitable washers or retur folded portions of the strips. The particular arrangement of the strips is intended to provide lengthwise tension as well as a design of attractive appearance. To obtain this tension, certain of the strips are somewhat elastic and, when assembled under tension, A

cause all 'of the strips of the `mat to be more closely related than is possible through the use of transverse binders alone.

one of the objects of the invention nes 1n the provision of a mat formed from a plurality of 3() strips, certain of which are assembled under lengthwise tension.

Another object ofthe invention lies in the provision of a mat formed from strips of substantially uniform size which, when assembled, present an 35 uneven' tread surface.

A' further object of the invention lies in the provision of folds or loops to produce an attractive finish to the mat ends. v

Other and further objects of the invention will 40 be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in 45 section, of one modification of the invention showing two methods of finishing the ends o f the mat;`

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View through one of the binders, being taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially Von the line 3 3 of Figure I:

' Figure 4 is a plan view of a modification of the structure shown in Figure 1; and

' Figure .5- isan enlarged vertical sectional v,view of the modined matv taken substantially on 'the line 5-5of Figure 4.

- Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, one modification of theinvention, generally indicated by o0 the reference numeral I l, is shown to, be com*- prised of a plurality of longitudinally extending stripsof similar `or slightly varying length. For a clearer understanding of the invention, the straight line vstrips are indicated by the numeral II and lare spaced apart by one or more curved strips I2. Each of the strips II and I2 are cut as near as practicable of uniform width and thickl ness. Transverse openings I4 and I5 are made in lthe strips II and I2. These openings are spaced apart a suitable distance and serve to receive the binder wires I6 therethrough. It is to be understood that, prior to assembly, strips I2 are straight and that the openings I5 therein are spaced apart a distance equal to thatof the spacing of the openings I4 in strips II. Strips II may 15 be formed from any suitable wear resistant material having little or no elasticity. Strips I2, however, are preferably formed from a somewhat elastic material which permits stretching said o strips during assembly of the mat to produce the regular curved portions shown in the drawing. The strips I2 must, of necessity, be stretched to cause the openings I5 therein to register with the wires I6 which project through openings I4 ofstrips -I I. In orderto limit the tension of strips I2, straight strips I I maybe alternated throughout the mat. To conceal that portion of the binder wires I6 which `is exposed between the strips I I and I2, suitable washers Il are provided. These washers constitute spacers between the longitudinally extending strips and facilitate slight rearrangement of the strips for the purpose of modifying the design of the mat.

For convenience, the binder wire I6 isl generally U-shaped, the closed end I9 being tted with a plate 20 which forms a suitable abutment against the outer face of the marginal strip II. When the mat `is completely assembled the free ends 22 of the wire I6 are projected through suitable openings 23 ina plate 24 which lies against) the other marginal strip II. Two additional openings'25 are made adjacent the center of the plate and receive the return bent ends 21. These ends may be embedded or anchored in the'adjacent portion of the strip II. Figure 1 of the drawing shows all of the strips at one end of the mat to terminate adjacent the endmost binder wire I6. The ends of the strips I I and I2are rounded or otherwise made to conform to the contour of the washers I'I for the purpose of providing a plain marginal end to the mat. The other end of the mat shows the strips I2 to be what maybe termed one binder section longer than the strips II to form extensions 29. These extensions have one additional opening I5 therein which facilitates their being folded back upon themselves to be engaged by the endmost wire I6. Since the 'material from which the strips are made is both heavy and very-rugged, it is found preferable to space the end' of the exten- 60 sions 23 one or more washer widths although this arrangement may be varied according to the designer of the mat and the materials which are being used. When the extensions are folded back, as above described, loops or scallops 30 are formed which materially add to thev attractiveness of the l marginal Aends of the mat.- The provision of the extensions 29 also serves the purpose, in particularly long or heavy mats, of-providing -means for doubly securing or anchoring the ends of the tension strips I2.

'Ihe modification in fFigures 4 and 5 of the drawing shows a mat 33 which is comprised of strips 34 and 35.. `In this modification the straight strips 34 are' spaced apart by two of the curved strips 35, said latter strips being in abutment with each other at the location of alternate binders. At this point suiiicient space is'provided for 4two washers 36 whereas at the farther spacingot the strips 35, four of the washers 36 are interposed.' The mat 33 is held together by the binder wires A38 which, being substantially identical with d the wires l5 in appearance and use, will not furare assembledunder lengthwise tension, the cross ther be described. The ends of the strips 35 'are formed with extensions 39 similar to the exten- -sions 23. 'I'hese extensions are folded inwardly and abut each other, being so held by the tension ofthe material and one or more washers 36. In

this instance, the marginal ends of the mat are 'in Figure 1.

'Due tothe fact that curved strips l2 and 35 section of these strips is less than the crosssection of strips II or 34. Thus the mats on their,

upper. and lower surfaces present slightly raised scui ribs which are formed by the projecting edges of straight strips Il or 34. Changing 'the number of washers l1 or 36-not only facilitates change in design but also a change inthe lengthwise tension of the mat. That is to say, elimination of one washer on'each binder wire I3 between any two adjacent strips Il decreases the space therebetween and permits assemblyof the strip I 2 in more iiattened curves than is shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.A 'I'he straighter the strip 'fl-,2;the` less the material thereof is stretched for the purpose of causing the openings I5therein to register with the wires I6. A

Although applicant has shown only-two modi ilcations or designs of his, invention,l in which are embodied means lfor binding together a longitidinally extending strip mat, means for pro.-

ducing endwise tension,andfurthermean s for producing scuif ribs, it will beunderstood that other modifications or additions to these features are contemplated in so far as they may bejincluded in the spirit and scope of the invention as defin by the hereunto annexed claims. Having thus set forth my inventionI what 1 'claim asnew and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent isz- 'f said marginal strips, transversely, arranged binder means securing all of said strips, said curved strips being under lengthwise tension whereby to 'whereby to provide seuil? portions on said mat."

said bindermeans serving to stripsto have relative pressure Vcont l c 2 cause all .of said strips to have relative pressure contact.

'said strips being elestic, said certain strips being secured under lengthwise tension by said means and exert a pressure contrary to the pressure of said means.

3. A mat of the class described comprising a plurality of generally longitudinally extending strips', means for securing said strips together, all of said strips being normally substantially uniform in cross section, certain of said strips being somewhat elastic, said certain strips being extended and assembled under lengthwise tension, said certain strips, when assembled, having. a lesser cross section than the other of said strips 4. Amat of the class described comprising a plurality of generally longitudinally extending.. strips, all of said strips being normally substan tially uniform in cross section, certain of said strips being elastic, said certain strips, when assembled under lengthwisetenslon, having a lesser cross section than the other of said strips whereby to form scuif portions of said other strips.

5. A mat of the class described comprising a pair of mat length marginal strips, a plurality of intermediate straight and curved strips between said marginalvv strips, said curved strips having some elasticity, binder means for securing all of said strips together, said curved strips being un v der lengthwise tension and serving to exert e135 strips, said curved strips being alternated with l' said straight strips throughout the width 0L said mat, spacer means interposed between certain of said strips'said spacer means serving to maintain the desired curvature -oi said curved strips, and binder means for securing all of said strips, mount said spacer means.

7.-- A mat of the class described comprising aplurality of mat length strips, certain Aof said strips being elastic, means for producing lengthwise tension in said certain strips, said means being variable to vary the lengthwise tension of said mat, and further means securing all of said` strips together. A A

8. A mat of the class described comprising a. pair of mat length marginal' strips, a plurality of intermediate straight and curved strips be-` tween said marginal'strips, means securing said strips together, said curvedstrips being under 60 Vlengthwise tension wherebyto ca e all of said 9, A mat of the class described comprising a l plurality of generally longitudinally extending strips, means-for securing\said strips laterally 65 s 1. -A matnof the class described comprising a pair of, mat length marginal strips, a plurality of intermediate straightland curved strips between under transverse pressure, certain of said strips being elastic, said certain strips being secured under lengthwise tension 'by said means and exerting a pressure contrary to 'the pressure of said means. ALBERTv T. ECKLUND. 

